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Simply Roasted Chicken

I love those rotisserie chickens you can get from the deli counter at the supermarket, and the ones at Costco are even more fabulous. But there’s something about roasting your own chicken in the oven that seems extra special (and kind of impressive if you’ve never done it before).

The smell will get you first, that savory chickeny, sumptuous smell. Then when you take it out of the oven, it’s a sight to be seen, with it’s glistening golden skin, and tender juicy meat. But once you bite into your first piece of homemade, oven roasted chicken perfection that doesn’t take all day or even a whole lot of patience, you’ll never want to waste your time with store bought precooked cluckers ever again. Mmmm… cheekehn, guuuod cheekhen!

1 whole chicken, 4-5lbs
Salt & Pepper
Butchers twine or tin foil

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Wash your chicken inside and out, and remove any giblets and the neck (you can use them for stock if you want to make gravy later). Dry VERY well inside and out as well. This part is super important, as the more moisture there is, the less crispy your skin will be.

Season the clucker in the cavity and all over the skin generously with salt and pepper. Place on a roasting rack with wings tucked underneath, and tie up the legs with butchers twine (or you can use a crumpled up piece of tin foil if you don’t have twine).

Bake at 425 degrees for 60 minutes or until a meat thermometer stuck in the thickest part of the thigh reads 160 degrees. Remove from oven, resist the urge to cut into it and devour your masterpiece, and let rest for at least ten minutes.

Then devour away!!! (PS the leftover bones make a great stock when simmered in water for a few hours with a bay leaf and a whole onion.)